I know I'm a few days late, but welcome to Spring! Seems like it's been a particularly long winter this year, and even though there was no dramatic change of seasons on Friday, it still feels like we've turned an optimistic corner of sorts. This feeling was only boosted by the sighting of the first swallow of spring yesterday whilst walking around Mercer Slough. As usual, I heard it first and craned my neck, forgetting what the sound belonged to until I saw that small shape sailing through the sky. Don't know why swallows fill me with such joy, but I let out an exclamation and did a little dance on the spot. It disappeared shortly thereafter, hopefully not because of my exhuberance, and I probably won't see another one for weeks, but still, it made my day.

Other excitement yesterday included an email from Katherine Samuelowicz saying that she's publishing 3 of my haiku in the next issue of Paper Wasp. Here's the website, though it hasn't been updated in a while: http://members.optusnet.com.au/paperwasp/index.html . I'm quite pleased and look forward to receiving my contributor's copy. Never been published in an Australian journal before.

Work continues on "Nullum." I'm on Chapter 4 now and bridging the time between "Do You Believe in Fairies?" and "Equinox." It's a good distraction from wondering and worrying about Clarion West. I should hear back from them within the next week and a half, though my hope is fading with each day that it will be positive news. Still, chin up. Stranger things have happened . . . (trying to remember what they are).

To end on an upbeat note, I received yet another hand-me-down of technology from Russ. First was his pocket PC, which makes a wonderful alarm clock, second was his mobile phone, which is a bit clunky, but easy to text on, and now I am in possession of his Sony Reader (his new one arrives tomorrow). While I will never foresake paper books for electronic ones, it is fiendishly handy whilst reading at the breakfast table not having to hold down pages or worry about getting jam on them. Besides, I'm quite enjoying the irony of reading "Pride and Prejudice" on an e-book.

OK, back to "Nullum."